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Bowled out CAXI for 76 to win by 100+ runs so I guess that’s something. Cook doesn’t seem to have gotten much time out in the middle but I think everyone else in the top six has made at least one fifty. And some wickets for the bowlers.

I believe there’s one more tour match against CAXI in a few days and then it’s the first test!!

raja wrote:As the first Test draws closer, I'm getting more and more tense.Maybe best to just agree to a 4-0 drubbing by England and call it all off?Still better than the 5-0 drubbing if we go ahead and play.

In the meantime, maybe read this piece on the Bodyline series that appeared on my Twitter timeline.It is a bit more nuanced than the usual "Australia lost because Larwood bowled bodyline" narrative.

raja wrote:As the first Test draws closer, I'm getting more and more tense.Maybe best to just agree to a 4-0 drubbing by England and call it all off?Still better than the 5-0 drubbing if we go ahead and play.

In the meantime, maybe read this piece on the Bodyline series that appeared on my Twitter timeline.It is a bit more nuanced than the usual "Australia lost because Larwood bowled bodyline" narrative.

There is a great Cartoon i saw years ago, had a Batsman being hit in the head by a Bouncer with the caption underneath "in the spirit of Cricket" and next to it a batsman gently playing an underarm delivery with the caption "not in the spirit of Cricket"

raja wrote:As the first Test draws closer, I'm getting more and more tense.Maybe best to just agree to a 4-0 drubbing by England and call it all off?Still better than the 5-0 drubbing if we go ahead and play.

In the meantime, maybe read this piece on the Bodyline series that appeared on my Twitter timeline.It is a bit more nuanced than the usual "Australia lost because Larwood bowled bodyline" narrative.

The England squad, to me, looks pretty weak. James Vince? Going back to Balance again? Malan doesn't convince me. I wanted Westley back in the team and I wanted Hameed but I think the latter is injured, again.

Ben Foakes is a fair shout, he is one on the radar as a future England player and had a fair season this year. Backup wicket keeper too. Excited to see if he makes the final XI.

Mason Crane. Who the f**k is he? 42+ FC bowling average? Get lost. When you have 26 year old Jack Leach taking his wickets at under 27.00 in the county game why are you persisting with no-hopers?

Jake Ball I'm pleased with, and Craig Overton is a fair punt. And then we've got the rest of the main England team as normal.

Discuss.

Time I had a say here Boycs with the first Test now next Thurs .

Who the f***is Mason Crane? Good question. A rookie who happened to have a very good season in Sydney Premier Cricket last season. Was the second overseas player since Imran Khan way back to get a guernsey for the NSW Blues. That is why he was picked. Go figure.

The Aussie top six are starting to sort themselves out. Most are getting state runs except Renshaw and Handscomb. Renshaw is being savaged by the media. Evidently it has already forgotten his sublime 150 at the SCG last year in one of his first outings for his country.

The only question marks over the baggies side as I see it is who will keep and who will occupy #6.

Bancroft has compiled something like 600 runs in his last four FC games, incl a double in England county cricket so he well and truly puts himself in the Ashes frame. He can also keep so that is a bonus having him bat in top six and opening a spot for an additional batsman or bowler.

Unlikely he will be blooded as a keeper tho against tuff opposition such as your boys. So I see Nevill taking the gloves and Cartwright as incumbent or Bancroft batting at #6.

I have been very impressed with the pre tour form of Chris Woakes. Who will be your #6. Moeen Ali?

There is a great Cartoon i saw years ago, had a Batsman being hit in the head by a Bouncer with the caption underneath "in the spirit of Cricket" and next to it a batsman gently playing an underarm delivery with the caption "not in the spirit of Cricket"

Yeah they often have explanatory cartoons like that in public rest rooms at airports, on airplanes , and popular tourist destinations as well as on fire hazards, beside escalators, even literature on airplanes as to how to get off an airplane in an emergency.

Last edited by Paddles on Wed Nov 15, 2017 8:44 am, edited 1 time in total.

Elite honesty: At the toss Faf said to Finch that you lads can bat - Finch replied "no, no we can't-we really can't".

Finch then saw Travis Head and Darcy Short start put on sun screen and said "Getting a bit optimistic aren't you?"

I think Overton and woakes have bought their berths alongside broad and Jimmy with Moeen to spin.

Jack leach may have a future as a tweaker but unless someone shows me something I haven’t seen mason crane is a nobody with the ball in he four or five day format. And that appears to be true in county championship cricket too

Boycs wrote:I think Overton and woakes have bought their berths alongside broad and Jimmy with Moeen to spin.

Jack leach may have a future as a tweaker but unless someone shows me something I haven’t seen mason crane is a nobody with the ball in he four or five day format. And that appears to be true in county championship cricket too

How is the Stokes drama going Boycs? Overton and Woakes have to play, and based on their performances so far could place pressure on Anderson to perform which he has never done in Australia, or anywhere else outside England, especially if Stokes does get the chance to venture out here. I wouldn't read to much into the CAXI, apart from Matt Short and Simon Milenko there isn't a lot of talent in the side and are mostly club cricketers with assumed potential, and players with FC experience in Larkin and Sandhu are major disappointments.

Not bad. There’s been an improvement consistently from warm up to warm up which is heartening. And I think stoneman has three half centuries to go with this hundred now. Might be good. I appreciate what mick says about opposition quality but time in the middle is still valuable.

Mick180461 wrote:According to news reports in Australia tonite the 1st test side will beWarnerBANCROFTKhawajaSmithHandscombS MARSHPAINE (K) !!!StarcCumminsHazlewoodBirdLyonPaine is a massive bolter if this is correct.

bolero wrote:I dont know why Aussie selectors have loved Shaun Marsh. He has been given a long rope, in my opinion just because he is Geoff Marsh's son. This kind of sycophancy I thought only happens in India.

Who else are you going to pick? No one else is really putting there hand up and Marsh's Test record is as good as anyone's outside the test side. Bancroft and Khawaja are the only ones demanding call ups and it looks like they have been.

The side has not been officially announced but the way the reporting is happening, it is correct.

bolero wrote:I dont know why Aussie selectors have loved Shaun Marsh. He has been given a long rope, in my opinion just because he is Geoff Marsh's son. This kind of sycophancy I thought only happens in India.

Looks like England players have run into just the kind of form that should give them a major confidence boost ahead of the 1st Test.5-0 there for the taking, especially against THIS Aussie side.Any fighters in this Aussie side? Right now I reckon the current Windies side could roll over this Aussie side.

raja wrote:Looks like England players have run into just the kind of form that should give them a major confidence boost ahead of the 1st Test.5-0 there for the taking, especially against THIS Aussie side.Any fighters in this Aussie side? Right now I reckon the current Windies side could roll over this Aussie side.

10/10 for your trolling efforts raja, but the locals just aint biting.

Elite honesty: At the toss Faf said to Finch that you lads can bat - Finch replied "no, no we can't-we really can't".

Finch then saw Travis Head and Darcy Short start put on sun screen and said "Getting a bit optimistic aren't you?"

When was the SA tour to Australia where Clarke made a fighting hundred despite being hit in the body and bounced all the time. I was watching that but can’t remember when or where in Australia it was. Impressive batting I thought.

Actually now that I think about it, it might have been in SA. Could have been his 160-odd at newlands?

bolero wrote:I dont know why Aussie selectors have loved Shaun Marsh. He has been given a long rope, in my opinion just because he is Geoff Marsh's son. This kind of sycophancy I thought only happens in India.

nepotism is the word you're looking for, but yeah...seems to be the case here

bolero wrote:I dont know why Aussie selectors have loved Shaun Marsh. He has been given a long rope, in my opinion just because he is Geoff Marsh's son. This kind of sycophancy I thought only happens in India.

Who else are you going to pick? No one else is really putting there hand up and Marsh's Test record is as good as anyone's outside the test side. Bancroft and Khawaja are the only ones demanding call ups and it looks like they have been.

The side has not been officially announced but the way the reporting is happening, it is correct.

that's not true, plenty have put their case forward in the last round of matches. Check the season stats, Marsh's record is worse than one of the players who is getting dropped (Maxwell)

Boycs wrote:When was the SA tour to Australia where Clarke made a fighting hundred despite being hit in the body and bounced all the time. I was watching that but can’t remember when or where in Australia it was. Impressive batting I thought.

Actually now that I think about it, it might have been in SA. Could have been his 160-odd at newlands?

it was the series we won in South Africa after reclaiming the Ashes 4 years ago

There is a lot to like about Stoneman, very strong to any delivery on his legs, though not as prolific to deliveries on the off side. You know Hazlewood will keep them outside off all day. If he goes chasing them, Hazlewood will get him out, so he will have to show patience, do you think he can do that? There is also a lot of difference between the lollipops Sandhu and Conway are serving up, waiting to be smacked to the boundary, then the 140+ deliveries Starc and Cummins will bowl, and if the conditions are right those deliveries will be inswinging yorkers. The English team are currently looking in form and I hope you're right Boycs we need a good test series. I've noticed England still have problems against leg-spinners based on the warm up games. Hopefully your boys don't get homesick or decide it's time to retire, but they shouldn't, there's no Mitchell Johnson playing.

Stoneman is in great form yes but he is yet to face anyone who is rated in the top 24 bowlers in Australia except for Nathan Coulter-Nile. Don't get carried away with form from these matches, they are weak teams.Why are we being so hard on Tim Paine, Wade & Nevell haven't exactly set the world on fire. Bancroft is an opening batsman who is a capable back up Keeper, the regular WA Keeper is Sam Whiteman but he is currently injured.Memo to England Batsman don't hit catches anywhere near Short leg, by all reports Bancroft is also a superb in there.

bolero wrote:I dont know why Aussie selectors have loved Shaun Marsh. He has been given a long rope, in my opinion just because he is Geoff Marsh's son. This kind of sycophancy I thought only happens in India.

nepotism is the word you're looking for, but yeah...seems to be the case here